Is the removal of branches and water sprouts by cutting them back.

Sep 27, Most pruning tasks are best done in the winter or early spring when plants are still dormant and not budding or blooming. Fall is the time to clean up any dead, damaged, or diseased branches that may have gone unnoticed during the summer. Examine Your Estimated Reading Time: 4 mins.

Early spring pruning allows you to enjoy the winter interest the plants provide. Plus the worst of the winter weather has passed so you can correct any damage while doing more routine pruning. In addition the wounds close quickly as new growth begins in spring. Avoid fall pruning of evergreens. The tender needles exposed after pruning will be. The rule on fall pruning is, generally speaking, don’t prune in fall.

But there are a few trimming tasks you can take on with confidence, provided you approach the job with self-control and a plan. The timing window for these pruning chores is from Thanksgiving to the New Year. Bloom Time Is the Key Many of the commonly butchered shrubs and trees bloom in spring. This means that they've already formed their flower buds. So if Doofus goes nuts with the loppers and wails away on a spring-bloomer this weekend, he'll cut off the flower buds and you won't get any spring blooms.

But poorly timed pruning, like that done in the fall or early winter, can injure a plant and stunt or even eliminate its foliage and flower production. What follows are the three recommended pruning"seasons" for various common trees and shrubs across the country.

Nov 19, While there’s no definitive way to tell which perennials prefer a fall or spring prune, you can find a list of some common perennials and their ideal pruning windows below. The second factor to consider is plant health. A perennial with an insect or disease problem should always be pruned in fall. Sep 21, To prune thicker branches or stems, use a pruning handsaw. Ninebark shrubs pruned in this way create a looser, healthier plant. Cut back to a bud on the outer side of each stem. Thin large, older outer branches if needed, cutting them back all the way to the ground.

Shorten other outer branches to outer buds. Ninebark (Physocarpus spp.).